Part of the genre-busting beauty of Cucina di’Paolo is, in fact, that Paul and Mary Jean borrow as much from the Pacific Northwest as they do from Northern Italy. Mary Jean does all the baking, and credits the constant array of desserts to a “short attention span” – not necessarily a liability in a baker with a fascination for new recipe ideas.
Paul Wegner, chef and owner of Cucina di’Paolo, experienced a culinary awakening when he went to northern Italy as a twenty-two year-old American serviceman. He and his wife and restaurant co-owner, Mary Jean, continue to work through the consequences of this revelation, which is best expressed in the display cases that greet you when you walk through the door of their restaurant – if Mary Jean doesn’t grab your attention first.
Paul Wegner has been cooking since 1973, starting with his family’s restaurant, The Lantern Pizza, in southeast Idaho. It was during his sojourn in Italy, however, that Paul realized that his perception of Italian cuisine as a boy from small town Idaho was a pale reflection of the genuine article. “The culture of food and wine is what Italy is all about, and I was in absolute shock and awe of the simplicity of Italian cuisine, and at the complexity it achieved by using the food for what it was meant to be, and not some grandiose production.”
My very first experience walking into Cucina di’Paolo brought back memories of my time in Italy, and walking into little bistros and trattorias, where being able to point to something I thought looked good was a thankful alternative to trying to decipher a menu in a language I couldn’t understand. Staring at the displays of pasta, meat entrees, side dishes, and desserts, I found myself saying, “I don’t need no stinkin’ menu”, and instead pointing to an item and asking Paul, “So, what’s this all about.” His answer was like culinary dial-a-porn: “This is our Chicken Fiori. It’s a local, free-range breast of chicken that we stuff with prosciutto, fresh spinach and mozzarella, roll in bread crumbs, sear then serve over fettuccini with our house ragu.” Five minutes later I regained consciousness and ordered it.
Part of the genre-busting beauty of Cucina di’Paolo is, in fact, that Paul and Mary Jean borrow as much from the Pacific Northwest as they do from Northern Italy. Mary Jean does all the baking, and credits the constant array of desserts to a “short attention span” – not necessarily a liability in a baker with a fascination for new recipe ideas. Another important aspect of the restaurant is Cucina di’Paolo’s relationship with local growers and food producers.
For your first taste of Cucina di’ Paolo, Paul recommends the lasagna that he spent years perfecting, but you can’t go wrong with the Chicken Fiori. Paul also recommends any of their soups, made from scratch, and their quiches and other comfort foods like mac and cheese and a hardy chipolte meatloaf. Oh…and don’t forget side dishes of wild mushrooms and risotto…and of course, any of Mary Jean’s desserts. Says Paul, “On any given week you’ll walk about with something good in your mouth, and a good feeling in your soul.”
Click here to read the Cucina di Paolo story that this profile is based on.
